


Bittersweet and Strange

by shadow_djinni



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alien Culture, Alternate Universe, Beauty and the Beast Elements, Body Horror, F/M, M/M, Minor Character Death, yknow due to curses
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-22
Updated: 2018-03-22
Packaged: 2019-04-06 15:26:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14059899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadow_djinni/pseuds/shadow_djinni
Summary: Emperor Zarkon of the Galra and Honerva, lead Altean researcher in quintessence, are married, sparking one of the fiercest conflicts the Alliance has seen in thousands of years. In the final fight a small base becomes the last line of defense against the rogue Altean forces, and while the Galra fleet arrives in time to drive them back, all aboard are killed.Or so it seems.200 years later Zarkon and Honerva's son, Prince Lotor, faces several suitors of his own, most of them unpleasant. But then what should have been an excursion to monitor anomalous quintessence levels goes south, and he finds himself entangled--both in saving the crew of a base thought lost, and with the base's commander.





	Bittersweet and Strange

_ 200 Years Ago _

 

_ The base shudders underfoot with each blast, and Sendak shifts his stance to better keep his balance.  His heart thunders frantically in his chest no matter what he does to quell its racing, but he cannot allow it to affect his focus.  His eyes fix on the control room’s viewscreens, on the fleet of Altean ships just beyond their shields.  _

_ “Haxus,” he asks.  “How long until the main cannons are back online?” _

_ Haxus’s voice over the comms is crackly but his words are distinct.   _ “Five doboshes, maybe less.  We’re almost finished.”

_ Sendak allows himself a relieved huff of breath.  “Good. Keep working at it, we’ll need them as quickly as possible.”  He turns his attention back to the viewscreens. “Kolivan, shields?” _

_ “Fifty percent and holding,” Kolivan replies, tapping away at a control panel to Sendak’s right.  “They’ll last another barrage or two before they’re too damaged to hold.” _

_ He nods.  It will have to be good enough.  Sendak presses the comms on his own panel and says, in the calmest voice he can manage, “Commander Sendak to main fleet, what is your ETA?” _

_ Intership comms are worse than he expected, but the distorted voice that reaches him says,  _ “--o Commander Sendak, our ETA……--even doboshes.  Can y--....that long?”

_ “Yes, we can hold out until you reach our position.  This will not be a problem,” Sendak says.  _

_ Another round of laser fire rocks the base, and he grabs hold of the control panel to steady himself.  The human beside him--a visitor, an ambassador of sorts from Earth by the name of Shiro--isn’t so lucky and staggers into Sendak’s side, almost falls.  Sendak squeezes his eye shut. _

_ “You should take your charges and get to the escape pods now, in case we must evacuate,” he says, glancing sidelong at Shiro. _

_ Shiro nods, his face hardening.  “You’ll be staying on the bridge,” he says.  Not a question. _

_ “My duty as commander,” Sendak replies.  “Haxus, have the ones with you report to the escape pods immediately.” _

“Yes, sir,” _ Haxus replies, shutting off the comm as a pair of voices on the other end rise in protest.  The base rocks again. _

_ “Shields at forty percent and falling,” Kolivan announces.  “Thirty-five percent. Stabilizing at thirty.” _

_ “Take your people and make ready to leave, too,” Sendak says.  He does not look at Kolivan. _

_ “The others will be with them,” Kolivan says.  Sendak knows Kolivan will not look at him. “I will stand with you.” _

_ The base rocks again, and again, and again. _

_ “Last chance,” Sendak says. _

_ The comms crackle.   _ “Sir, the main cannons are back online,” _ Haxus says. _

_ Sendak lets himself crack a smile.  “Excellent,” he says, and fires on the attacking ships.  Bolts of violet arc across the empty space between them. _

_ Then he sees them, behind the enemy fleet.  The familiar shapes of Galra cruisers loom from the asteroid field, violet light against the black beyond, and Sendak vents a jubilant whoop.  The reinforcements have arrived. The day is theirs. _

_ And then the shields go down.  Sendak feels the blood drain from his face to pool somewhere near his feet. _

_ He wheels on Kolivan immediately.  “Get off the bridge, now!” he snaps, flattening his ears for emphasis. _

_ “No!” Kolivan protests. _

_ “ _ Go _!” Sendak roars back and stomps a mock-charge.  Kolivan takes the hint and flees, and Sendak reactivates the comms.  “Haxus, can you get the shields back online?” _

“I--” _ Haxus begins, his voice shaking.  He clears his throat.  _ “I don’t know.  I can try.”

_ “Thank you,” Sendak breathes.  “In the meantime, divert all power to cannons.” _

“Yes, sir,” _ says Haxus. _

_ Sendak fires on the oncoming ships, but he can already tell his firepower will be insufficient.  There are too many of them. The lead ship’s spires begin to glow cyan, and Sendak’s next shot glances off its particle barrier.  A lump swells in his throat, and he fires again and again and again. _

_ The ship fires back with a massive bolt of white-and-blue light. _

_ Sendak squeezes his eye shut and braces for impact. _

* * *

 

_ Enter the Prince _

 

“You will  _ never _ believe what Father and I have been working on,” Allura said, slamming a box down on the table.

Lotor shot her a heavy-lidded look and set aside his datapad, closing out of the treatise on luxite he’d been pouring over for the last half a varga.  “Oh? What is it?” he asked. 

He hadn’t even realized Allura was on Daibazaal yet--she’d been scheduled to arrive sometime that day, but apparently he’d missed word of her arrival.  Not that  _ that _ was a surprise, per se--he’d been in his mother’s laboratory since that morning monitoring an experiment for her.  It was  _ just _ like Allura to let herself in and immediately launch into an explanation of some project, too.  He was surprised she’d bothered to change out of her lab gear, though the fact that her hair remained twisted up in a neat bun said she was still planning on tinkering with whatever she was about to show him.

“I’m so glad you asked,” Allura replied.  She flipped the box open and pulled out two Balmera crystals, each no longer than the end of one of her thumbs and roughly the same in diameter, and tossed them lightly between her hands.  “One of the other alchemists proposed the idea of quintessence entanglement in forum the other movement. Most of our enclave thinks it impossible or too risky to test--”

“--But you and King Alfor have been,” Lotor said, and couldn’t resist a smile at the way Allura’s face lit up.  “Have you had any success?”

“...Well, not quite,” Allura said.  She set the Balmera crystals down on the table.  “The basis of alchemy is finding a resonance between the caster and the source and using that resonance to direct quintessence to one’s will.  Father and I thought entanglement would be similar in principle to multiple casters joining forces for a single ritual…” She trailed off, shutting her eyes to focus.  A tick later both crystals lit up, glowing and pulsing in rhythm. The light died when she reopened her eyes, and Lotor met her gaze.

“...But that isn’t the case,” he said.

“No,” Allura replied.  “These crystals are from two different Balmeras--our first experiment used two crystals from the same one--”

“--But those would have the same resonance pattern anyway--”

“--Because they are of the same creature’s life force.”

“Yes.  So what happens when two different creatures’ quintessence resonates?”

“You just saw.  We can make them work in tandem as long as we hold the resonance ourselves--”  Allura lifted one of the crystals, which lit up under her touch while the other stayed inert-- “but they do not remain in tandem once they no longer have an alchemist directing them both.”

“You still believe it’s possible,” Lotor said.  He  _ knew _ the look on Allura’s face, that stubborn, pretty pout.

“I do,” she said.  “I’m  _ certain _ it’s possible.  But I think we’ve reached the limit of what can be done with Balmera crystals as the source.  Is Honerva around?”

“For now--I believe she’s overseeing the last preparations for a stint in the field, she’s planning to leave in the next few vargas,” Lotor said.  “She should be down in the hangars--”

“She’s right here,” a new voice said from the doorway behind Lotor.  Allura’s face lit up again, and she vaulted over the table to greet Honerva, skirts flying.  Lotor spun his chair around in time to watch his dearest friend pull his mother into a hug. “How have you been, Allura?” she asked, the moment Allura let go.

“Oh, just  _ wonderful _ !  Father and I have a new thesis we’ve been testing, but I’m afraid we’ve hit a limit and I came to ask you for help,” Allura said.

Honerva brushed her violet bangs out of her eyes and nodded.  “Alright. Tell me about your thesis.”

“Two movements ago in an alchemical forum on Altea, one of the other alchemists brought up quintessence entanglement.  Most of the forum thinks it’s theoretically possible but impossible or too dangerous in practice. Father and I have been doing experiments with Balmera crystals to prove it can be done, but we’ve met our limit.  He suggested I ask you for advice,” Allura said quickly.

Honerva tilted her head thoughtfully.  “Have you considered working with refined quintessence as a medium for entanglement?” she asked.  “It’s usually better at holding a resonance than Balmera crystals.”

Allura frowned.  “...No, we hadn’t thought of that.  I’ll tell Father you suggested it when I return to Altea,” she replied.  “Lotor told me you’re leaving soon for field work. What are you looking into?”

“We picked up some unusual readings in the Anduvian quadrant recently.  Nothing too alarming, but there’s a decommissioned base in the area that might have started leaking quintessence, and if the readings confirm it we may have to remove the energy core to prevent further leakage,” she said.

“Why wasn’t the core removed when the base was decommissioned?” Allura asked.

Honerva shook her head.  “That base was the site of the last battle in the conflict after Zarkon and I were wed.  Everyone aboard the base was killed, and we decided that it should be left as it was as a memorial to the lives lost there.  If it’s leaking, though, the core will need to be removed. I’m going out to monitor the readings for a couple movements, maybe longer depending on how conclusive the results are.”  She turned to Lotor. “And you’ll come to join me tomorrow, won’t you?”

“I wouldn’t miss it, Mother,” Lotor replied.  He very nearly sighed with relief. Getting off Daibazaal would be a  _ mercy _ at this point.  

Honerva shot him a fond smile and swept past into the lab. “I’m going to finish packing the equipment we’ll need.  Lotor, why don’t you inform your father of our plans?”

“Of course, Mother,” Lotor said.

“And do take Allura with you.”

Allura squeaked, offended. “And what do you think I’ll get into, Honerva?” she exclaimed, but Honerva was already gone, disappearing deeper into the labs.

Lotor chuckled.  “I think she suggested you accompany me more for  _ my _ sake than for yours,” he said, and offered her his arm.

“Oh?” Allura asked, taking it and letting him escort her from the labs.

“Father is discussing potential suitors for me once again,” Lotor said, rolling his eyes.  

“...Pleasant,” Allura said.  “So who is he planning to marry you off to  _ this _ time?”

“No one yet, he has merely opened discussions with his commanders about who might claim my hand.  They’ll have to compete for it, anyway, and I may refuse the victor if I please.” 

They were out of the labs by that point, moving through the wide halls of the grand palace.  They were almost too dim after the brilliant lights of the laboratory, but Lotor’s eyes adjusted quickly to the warm red light coming in through the many windows.  Lotor kept his eyes on the intersecting halls, nodding greetings to the guards they passed but on the alert for his father’s commanders. A good half-dozen of them had arrived from across the Empire over the last few quintants, and he was leery of encountering any of them.  None of them were pleasant sorts, if he were to be honest. Well, Trugg and Ladnok could be pleasant if they so chose, but they certainly wouldn’t be his first choices for paramours.

And then a shadow fell over them, and Lotor very nearly ran face-first into a broad, armored chest.

“Prince Lotor,” a deep voice rumbled.  “How lovely to see you.”

Lotor tilted his head back, back, back, to look up into the broad, square face staring down at him.  He met the mismatched eyes--the right organic, the left a red, beady cybernetic replacement--as evenly as he could.

“Warlord Ranveig,” he said levelly.  “I wish I could say the same.”

Allura tightened her grip on his arm, and he glanced at her sidelong.  Her eyes flicked to Ranveig, and he nodded ever so slightly. He took half a step back to put some space between them.

Ranveig moved to fill the space immediately.  The yellow eyes on his breastplate were level with Lotor’s, and his neck was beginning to cramp from the angle eye contact forced him to maintain.  He didn’t dare look away. “It has been quite some time since last we spoke, your highness,” Ranveig said.

“It has,” Lotor agreed, resisting the urge to step back again.  He would  _ not _ be cowed by this brute.  “Two decades, if I recall correctly.”  Not  _ nearly _ long enough.

“Indeed,” said Ranveig, and if anything he was leaning closer, far too close.  “Emperor Zarkon has personally invited me back to Daibazaal for an important meeting with his most important commanders and allied nations.”  Yes, he was  _ certainly _ closer.  “You would not happen to know anything as to the nature of this meeting... _ would _ you.”

“I couldn’t say,” Lotor said.

“Oh, I’m certain you  _ could _ ,” Ranveig replied.

“ _ Even _ if Prince Lotor were at liberty to discuss such things, it is  _ not _ your place to demand answers of your prince,” Allura said, forcing Ranveig back to stand between them.  She’d grown larger,  _ far _ larger--Ranveig’s height, in fact.  No, taller. She was  _ still _ growing even as he watched, taller and broader ‘til she loomed over the commander.

“And who are you to order me about?” Ranveig said, but Lotor could hear the faintest hint of a tremor in his voice.

“I am  _ Princess _ Allura of Altea, and unless you wish to cause a diplomatic incident, I  _ suggest _ you remove yourself from my presence at  _ once _ .”

Lotor couldn’t see around Allura at that point, but he could hear the commander’s retreating footsteps clear as anything.  Allura turned towards him, shrinking rapidly back to her accustomed size, and took  _ his _ arm to lead him on towards the throne room.

“What was  _ that _ ?” Allura demanded.

“Ranveig,” Lotor replied.  “One of my father’s commanders--I hadn’t realized he was one of my father’s choices--”

“One  _ hopes _ his invitation was accidental,” she huffed.

“Or perhaps to weed out less competent warriors who would compete for my hand, then lose a battle to a superior suitor,” Lotor replied.  “No matter. Even  _ if _ he were the last one standing, I am capable of defeating him in combat.”

Allura snorted.  “You Galra and your ritual combat.   _ Must _ courtships begin with a battle?”

“Most certainly.   _ Especially _ when they’re for the hand of a prince.”

“Well, if you’re left with only the unpleasant ones, I could step in and claim your hand.”

“I’ll keep your offer in mind, Princess.”

They rounded the last corner and strode together through the open doors of the throne room.  The long afternoon light washed the dull grey walls in warm red and gold and shone off the banners overhead.  The throne itself was occupied as Lotor had expected--by his father, resplendent in wine-red armor, head in one hand and leaning thoughtfully on the arm of his throne.  Zarkon was engaged in quiet conversation with his high commander, a stout Galra by the name of Prorok, but he glanced up at the sound of their footsteps and waved Prorok off.  The high commander nodded a greeting to Lotor on his way out.

“Greetings, Father,” Lotor said, inclining his head politely.  Allura dipped a curtsey beside him.

“Lotor,” Zarkon replied.  He’d left the throne to greet them when Lotor looked up.  “And Princess Allura. It is pleasant to see you, as ever.”

“And you as well, Lord Zarkon,” Allura replied.  She was beaming, though, which made the formalities far less formal than they should have been.

“Mother asked that I come speak to you--one of her monitoring stations has detected unusual quintessence readings in the Anduvian quadrant,” Lotor said.

Zarkon nodded.  “She spoke to me on this matter earlier.”

“She requested I come with her, to assist with analysis of the readings.”

“This she did not mention earlier,” Zarkon said.  He glanced over Lotor’s head, towards the doorway.  Lotor didn’t dare turn around to see what his father was looking at.

“She only suggested it a few doboshes ago, I believe it was something of a spur of the moment decision,” Lotor said quickly, and Zarkon’s eyes snapped back to his face.

“...It will be good for you to see more of your empire,” Zarkon said, and Lotor’s eyes widened.  “When did she suggest you join her?”

“Tomorrow,” Lotor replied, barely keeping the excitement from his voice.  He hadn’t expected Zarkon to give in so quickly--he was usually so reluctant to let Lotor leave Daibazaal at all,  _ any _ trip off-world was a rare treat.

“Tomorrow it shall be, then,” Zarkon said, and Lotor couldn’t contain his delight any longer.

“Thank you, Father!” he exclaimed, lunging up to wrap his arms around Zarkon’s neck in a hug.  Zarkon hugged him back, holding him off the floor and nuzzling the side of his face. Lotor laughed and leaned into the touch.

“Then you ought to start packing, don’t you think?” Honerva said from behind them.  Lotor wriggled out of Zarkon’s embrace to pull Honerva into one.

“Thank you, Mother,” he managed.  Oh. He  _ was _ going to cry now, and in front of  _ Allura _ to boot.  That was always more than a little embarrassing.

Honerva chuckled and leaned up on tiptoe to kiss him on the brow.  “I’m about to be off,” she said, squeezing him a little more tightly before releasing him.  She stepped past, and Zarkon knelt to pull her into an embrace and kiss her.

“Be safe, my love,” Zarkon said, stealing a second kiss.

“I will,” Honerva replied.  “I’ll see you soon, husband.”  She turned back to Lotor, golden eyes twinkling, and said, “And  _ you _ I will see tomorrow.”

And then she was gone, sweeping out of the throne room as easily as she’d come.  Allura moved back in to link her arm through Lotor’s again, nudging him towards the door.  Lotor turned and met Zarkon’s eyes for a tick or two.

“I suppose I ought to pack,” he said.  Zarkon nodded, clear permission to leave the throne room, and Lotor let Allura guide him out.

The second they rounded the corner toward the royal family’s apartments Allura broke into a sprint.  Lotor bolted after her, closing the gap and then passing her with ease. They’d raced these halls their whole lives, or nearly, and Lotor knew they could run them with their eyes shut--but this was no time for that, Allura gained on him as they turned corners towards the stairs to Lotor’s quarters.  He couldn’t help laughing, and she vented a ferocious chuckle and nearly tripped him. Lotor caught himself against the wall and scrambled to catch her as she hit the stairs.

“That’s  _ cheating _ !” he shouted.

“I’m playing to  _ win _ , Lotor!” she shot back.  

He growled and jumped, grabbing hold of the railing and hauling himself over right in front of her.  Allura shrieked and stumbled back a step or two, and Lotor flashed her a toothy grin in response. Then he spun around and hurtled up the steps, ignoring her offended yelp behind him.

“Oh,  _ now _ who’s cheating?” Allura yelled.

“What was that about playing to win?” Lotor retorted gleefully.  

He hit the top of the stairs a full five ticks before Allura did and burst through the doors to his quarters, skidding to a stop in the middle of his bedroom.  Allura cannoned into his side, nearly knocking him off balance again, and he caught her and braced them both upright. Allura laughed. Lotor snorted, then released her.

Allura bumped her shoulder against his arm, then climbed onto his bed and hung upside down over the end.  “So what  _ do _ you pack for a research excursion?”

“Safety equipment, changes of clothing…”  Lotor frowned thoughtfully. “I’ll bring my personal equipment from Mother’s labs, just to be safe.””

“Are you expecting something to go wrong?” Allura asked, head tilting like a curious bird.

“Not at all,” Lotor replied.  “But I'd like to be prepared in case it  _ does _ .”

**Author's Note:**

> ...Yeah, Season 5 got me into Lodak, but I have to credit @let-sendak-say-fuck and @varusai on Tumblr, both for the initial idea and for helping me hammer out plot points and the trickier aspects of worldbuilding for this AU. I couldn't have done this without them!


End file.
